Coin-counting machine



3, 1954 E. w. QUIRK ET AL 2,669,997

COIN-COUNTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1949 4 sheets-sheet 1 ATTQRNEXJ Fell 1954 E. w. QUIRK ETAL 2,669,997

COIN-COUNTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1949 4 s eets-sheet 2 A'r'roanevs Feb. 1954 E. w. QUlRK ET AL COIN-COUNTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 12, 1949 EN TOR Zulu. M

M ruucl ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1954 E. w. QUIRK ET AL COIN-COUNTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 12. 1949 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE COIN-COUNTIN G MACHINE Application September 12, 1949, Serial No. 115,272

8 Claims.

' The invention relates to coin counting machines adapted for automatically counting either an'unlimited or predetermined number of coins of varying denominations, and if desired, de-

positing the same into a bag or a tube.

More particularly, the invention relates to that type of coin counting machine in which the coins are fed into a hopper having a revolving plate for its bottom by which the coins are fed by centrifugal force toward the periphery of the hopper having an opening at one side formed in part by an adjustable gate through which opening the coins pass to a discharge passage along which the coins are fed by a feed wheel past a counter operating star wheel prior to their discharge from the machine. In machines of the general type above described the feed wheel has either been a continuously rotated tiltable wheel or an intermittently rotated clutch controlled wheel as in U. S. Patent No. 2,378,828, dated June 19, 1945, to A. R. Buchholz et al., which also shows a predetermined count mechanism. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism for tilting a continuously rotatable feed wheel and control this mechanism through predetermined count mechanism preferably of the type shown in the said U. S. Patent No. 2,378,828.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tiltable feed wheel arrangement in which wear of the wheel may be readily compensated for.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of starting control for coin counting machines of the general type above described whereby the count starting lever may be operated either by the usual hand lever or by a slight tilting of the coin discharge tube.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

wheel in feeding position;

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing'the coin feed wheel in its inoperative position;

Fig. 6 'is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 5, parts being broken away:

Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of parts shown in Fig.7;

Fig. 9 is a detailed view of parts of the predetermined count mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, as in all machines of this general type, a counter i 2 is provided which, as shown in Fig. 4, carries a bevel gear l3 meshing with a bevel gear I4 on an upright shaft l5 carrying a coin operated star wheel It, the coins being fed past said wheel it by a feed wheel I! as they are delivered to the wheel I! through an adjustable opening at one side of a hopper i8 whose bottom I9 is in the form of a disk or round plate carried by a vertically disposed shaft 29 suitably journalled in the top plate 2| and carrying a spiral gear 22 meshing with a spiral gear 23 on the main drive shaft 2 see Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

As in the Buchholz et a1. patent, the adjustable gate which determines the size of the discharge opening from the hopper I8 is vertically adjustable by the turning of a screw shaft carrying a handle 25. known practice, a gauge plate 26 is slidably mounted relative to the start wheel 16 to adjust the width of the passage 2'! for the particular coins being counted and is locked in position by a hand clamp C.

Beyond the wheel 16 the discharge passage 21 is inclined as in Fig. 6 at 28 to discharge the counted coins into a tube section 255 which has a coin deflector 30 projecting above the outlet end of the passage 27. A discharge tube 3| has its upper end removably secured in the lower end of the section 29 by a spring pressed detent -32 engageable with an opening 33 in said tube 3! which is loosely mounted in the section 29 so that it may be tilted upwardly about the pin or detent 32 as a fulcrum so as to engage and press upwardly on a plunger 34 normally held against movement by a spring 35 and adapted when moved to engage one arm of a rocker lever 36 pivoted at 31 and having its other arm 38 operatively engageable with a link 39 forming part of a count starting control hereinafter described. Referring to Fig. 2, an electric motor til has a pulley 4i mounted on its drive shaft and connected by a belt 42 with a pulley 43 on the main drive shaft 24.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4, and 5, the feed wheel I 1, which has a rubber coin contacting face Ila, is

Also in accordance with mounted on a shaft 49 carrying a pulley connected by a belt 46 with a pulley 4! on the drive shaft 24. The shaft 44 is mounted in a rear bearing 49 and a front bearing 49, both of which are carried by a tiltable support mounted to turn on :a-pivot shaft 5|. Therear'zbearing 48 is pivotally supported in the support 50 by trunnions 52. The front bearing 49, as shown in Fig. 6, is vertically slidably mounted in a box' 53 formed as part of the support 59 and has .a threaded bore 94 engaged by a manually adjustable screw shaft 55 journalled :the '-:top Wall of the box 53 so that=turning of thershafit 55 will move the bearing 49 relative to said 'support so that it may be tipped about the rear 3 bearing to various angular positions relative :to the support 59 to compensate for wear of the face Ila. When once adjusted the actual tilting of the shaft 413 to bring the wheel 11 into and cant oifeeding engagementwith the coins isadone by tilting the support'fill about its1pivot15l. The

shaft .55 is turned by :a thumb @wheel '56 @which .is ;of the locking 'type, that is, it is lengthwise movable on the shaft 55 and yieldingly turged ztoward the box 53 by'aspring mot-shown) so that its diametrically disposed projections :51 may-engagesinsimilarly disposed recesses .58 in the top of the box.

The-support :59 is moved the feed wheel re- .lease position by the action'o'f a :belt tensioner acting-on the=belt =49. This tensioner (see Figs. .2 and 4) includes .a pulley 59 engageable with the belt and carried byan arm 69 mounted "to .swing'ona fixed :stud 9i and urged .to tensioned position by :a spiral spring 92.

Thesupportfifliis moved "to feed wheel opera- -:tive position by a iplunger means shown in Figs.

part of the'machine-and at one end 'mengages the outerend of the plunger member :99 and: at :its other-end"? l engagesa stop '12 inits release position. The lever 63 is pivotally :moved to raisethe plunger means .byga'one revolution-"cam 1:3 which is slidably keyed on the shaft 234 my a diametrically disposedpin M :mounteddnsaid shaft and working in: diametrically disposed slots L5 in the hubof the cam. A spring 35 :normally urges :the cam 73 to a release positionagainst a stop collar :1! on .the-shaftM. 'Whenypermitted todo. .SQfawedge member 7.81 pivoted :at .19 and urged toward the .hub of 'the cam by :a spring :89

acts-tomove the cam .73 from'thezposition' shown il'lrFiQ'. 5 tothepositionxshown in Fig. Beat-which time the turning of the shaft 24 :acts through said camon the :lever 69 to move the :plunger means from the position shownin-Fig. 5 to .the position-shown .in Fig. =at whichtime the supportfil) has been tilted and the .feed wheel all! :is

in :coin feeding position. .The wheelsisretained in this qaosition bylocking the plunger -member 6.4 bymeansofa latch 81 pivotally supported :at

8-2,:see Fig. .3, and working ;a slot 83 .in the tube and engageable with an a1mulargroove 28.4 finthe member 69.

:Thewedgemember :13 is :moved to inoperative position against the action of its spring after the cam 13 has moved the plunger 64 inwardly by providing a projection on the member l8 extending into the path of movement of the lever 68, so that when the cam 13 has moved ith'e lleverlfiB to the position shown iniEig. 4, the other end of said lever strikes the projection 85 and swings the wedge 18 outwardly to a release position.

.Thaoperation of the cam 13 and the latch 8| are controlled by the mechanism associated with the counter which is zadapted to move the cam 13 ito aposition in which the wedge 18 is effective to move it to a position for engaging the lever 63 at the start "of the count to bring the feed wheel il rl to=coin feeding position and to move the latch 8| to a release position at the end of the'oount of a predetermined number of coins so that the feed wheel I! may be swung upwardly rout of coin feeding position. The predetermined =count :mechanism that we :have chosen toillustratein connection with'the pres- .entinvention is'substantial-ly identical with that shown in the *Buchh'olz etial. PatentNo. 2.3%;828, and :F'ig. -3 of the :present application shows the parts :of this mechanism in the same position :as Fig. 100i that patent'and in what has been-ide- Scribed therein as the pre-set ;position while 9 shows parts-of the structurefshown in :Fig- :8 tofsaidpatent. It is :believed that this showing is suflicient for :the understandingof the present invention and avoids a duplication \of Figs. -9 and 11 =of said patent.

is in the aforementioned patent, :the number 'of coins to be "counted :isdetermined by the setting of a 'leverzL of :known iform havinga {part adapted zto engage :a pin-86 .ona-counteroperated ratchet "wheel '8"! said pin extending through :an arcuatefslot 88. ina basep1atei89'. As in thematentythe:ratchet wihetl 8:1 is turned in one direction by fa spring 90 and "in Zthe-opposite-direction by a cam 'or tooth member 9i -on"theri1merend of the shaft I 5 that 'carries thecoin-operated star wheel Hi. The wheel 81 is prevented from-being turned b-ackwardly' by the spring -99 by'a holding pawl 92 pivoted at 93. The tooth spacing of the wheel 8! is such that for fivecoins'fed' through the discharge passage on 'each revolution :of the :star wheel, theratchetwheel .81 :is advanced one tooth. for :a. continuous :count, the, lever .L is moved so that the spring 99 may turn the wheel f8] 'to apositionlm which its toothed section is out not-mesh \with the cam-member- '91 For predetermined counts -.the lever L'acts'on the piI1r8fi4i0fSEt the wheel 8:? to :a predetermined position, :and as shown. in. Fig. 3., the wheel, set for the counting of :ten coinahas been moved to @a'pre-s'etposition asv the seventh and eighth coins are. counted as "described in. said. patent. Thereafter, the .cam 91 :turned clockwise as viewed in '3 asthe ninth and tenth coins are fed past it. While-the tenth coin is passing, the starwwheel, :therc'am 9| moves tooperate a three arm :lever :94 zpivotally mounted at the outer "end .of "a lever 95 corresponding-to lever 59 of thematent, said cam act- .mg on a :pin '96 on one .arm .of :the lever to swin the lever 95. -clockwise, thereby causing a ,pin .91 on a second :arm of said lever working .in #9. F8191; in the pawl 92 to release :said- 'holdingpawl :and also .causingwa pin '98 on the third arm of the lever 1to,=push toward the right against aiplunger Said :SQ' rswingrsaidmlatch to a release position. so, the plunger means'gprevinus1y {described is free to return to its initial position shown in Fig. 5 under the action of the belt tensioner spring 62, and the wheel I I is moved to its inoperative or non-feeding position.

For starting the operation of the counting mechanism a re-set member IOI similar to the member 99 of the patent is pivoted on a pin I02 mounted on the base plate and has a hand lever extension I03 to which the link 39 previously referred to is pivotally connected at I04, said member I01 being normally urged to an inoperative position by a spring I05. Member IEII, as shown in Fig. 9, has a dog I06 pivotally mounted thereon at I0! which is adapted to engage a pin I03 on a pivoted latch member I09, corresponding to the member 81 of said patent, so as to swing said latch member out of holding engagement with the lever 95 so that the spring I I0 connected to said lever may swing it and the lever 94 back to their initial position in which the cam 9i is again effective to turn the ratchet wheel 3'7 and there'- after move the lever 94 as previously described, it being noted that in the pre-set position of the mechanism a pin I II on the ratchet wheel 8! has engaged the lever 95 and moved it clockwise to a position in which its shoulder H2 may be engaged by the end I I3 of the latch I09 at which time the three arm lever 94, as shown in Fig. 3, is in a position for actuation by the cam SI. In

addition to acting as a re-set member for thepre- I which also has swinging movement relative thereto determined by a pin I I I mounted on the finger and extending through an arcuate slot I I8 in the end II 6 into a cam slot H9 in a plate I fixed to the base plate 89, said finger being normally urged to swing clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 by a spring I 2|. With this arrangement as the end I I 6 of the re-set member III! is swung toward the right to release the latch I99 as previously described, the finger II4 also swings to the right until its end I22 engages an annular curved rib I23 on the hub of the cam I3, and as it continues -to swing in this direction, it pushes said cam I3 toward the right to the position where the wedge .18 may engage between the collar 7! and the cam so as to shift the cam into the position shown in Fig. 8, so that said cam I3 may operate the lever 68 to move the plunger means previous- .ly described so as to tilt the support to a position in which the feed wheel I1 is operative'to feed coins past the star wheel I6. As the finger I I 4 completes the initial feedin movement of the cam I3, its pin III engaging the cam slot H3 swings the end I22 of said finger out of contact with the rib I23, and on the return stroke of the re-set member It! said finger is free to swing by the rib I23. Thus the cam I3 with its associated parts forms a one revolution actuating means for moving the feed wheel support to a position in which the feed wheel is operative to feed coins.

To briefly sum up the operation of the machine. With the motor 48 running so that the disk I9 is revolving and the feed wheel I! is also rotating in the position shown in Fig. 5, no coins can pass the star wheel It. If now either the handle I03 is swung toward the left as viewed in Fig. 3 or the coin receivingtube 3| is tilted toward the left as viewed in Fig. 6 so'as to move plunger 34 to swing lever 36 so as to shift link 39 to the left, the re-set member IIII is moved to reset the predetermined count means, and the cam I3 is moved by the finger II4 to a position where the wedge I8 is effective to move it into and hold it in engagement with the lever 68 which is then operated from the drive shaft 24 through said cam to move the plungers 63 and 64 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4, it being noted that as plunger64- is locked by the latch SI, the lever 68 acting on the projection moves the wedge 18 to inoperative position so that the cam I3 after a single rotation is moved back to its initial position by the spring I6. The parts are now in position for the feed wheel I? to feed the coins past the star wheel I8 which it proceeds to do until said star wheel has turned the cam member 9I through two or more revolutions to advance the ratchet wheel 81 two or more teeth depending upon the setting of the lever 85 at which time the pin III acts on the lever swinging it down so that the cam 9| acting through lever 34 on link 99 may release latch 8! so as to release the pressure of the plunger means on the support 53 to permit the support with said wheel I! to move to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 5 under the action of the belt tensioner.

It will be noted from'the foregoing that we have provided means driven by the machine for moving the feed wheel to operative position which means includes a shiftable cam driven by the drive shaft 24 and controlled by the count starting control or re-set member IOI for moving the lever 63 operating on a shiftable link means comprising the plungers IE3 and 64 and the spring 66 to tilt the tiltable support 50 to a position in which the feed wheel IT is in coin feeding position and that the predetermined count mechanism including the'release link 99 controlled by the coin operated cam 9| acts through the latch 8! to control themovement of the support 50 to a position in which the feed wheel is inoperative. Also that in case the feedwheel face IIa should wear, the shaft 44 may be shifted relative to the support 523 to compensate for this wear. Finally in operations where the predetermined number of coins are fed into tubular containers, it is not necessary for the operator to use one of his hands to operate the lever I33 tostart the counting operation, but this may be eifected by tilting the coin tube 3I by the same hand that is holding the container to be filled at the lower end of said tube.

We desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form :or arrangement of parts except in" so far as'such i limitations are included in the appended claims.

What We claim as our invention is:

1. In a coin counting machine having a count ing device, a continuously rotated reed wheel for feeding coins past the counting device to actuate the same, said feed wheel being-mounted on a tiltable support for movement to an operative and an inoperative position, the combination of a cam driven by said machine, a lever engageable by the cam, and a yieldable link connection between said lever and said support for tilting said support to a feed wheel operative position, a latch for locking said linkage in feed wheel operative position, predetermined count mechanism for releasing said latch after a predetermined number of coins have been fed past said access .countin-g device, and aistarting eontrolrfor said ;mechanism.and forfsaidnam.

'2. 5111 72, coin-counting:machinehafihg a -countingdevice; a motor, afeed-wheelcontinuously rotated ,by said motorfor :feeding coins -.past said counting device to actuate the :same, a movable .mounting for said :feed wheel to permit-positionsaid wheel in ,a coin feeding position-.andan inoperative position, and predetermined -count mechanism, the combination 1 of mechanism con- 'trolling the movement of 'said mounting com- ;prising a one revolution actuating means driven by said motor 'wnd operatively connected to said :mounting and rendered operative on the starting of zthe operation sof said predetermined icount ;mechanism for moving. said mounting to position :said :feed wheel :in -coin vfeeding position, :means for :holding said mounting in .its coin feeding position, means for moving said mounting .to ;.pcsition said wheel in an imperative iposition, and :means controlled by said predetermined (count mechanism for ,releasing v:said holding means so that said last namedmeans isoperative .to move said mounting to position .said wheel (-in 'an inoperative position when i a ,predetermined number of coins have been fed :past :said; counting device.

A coin *counting machine as defined in claim 2 in which said one revolution-actuating means is rendered operative by the starting control of said predetermined count mechanism.

4. :In a coin rcounting machine vhaving. a counting :device, a motor, a deed wheel continuously rotated =by said motor for :feeding coins past said counting device to actuate the same, aimovable m nting for said feed wheelto permit position- ;ing said wheel in-a coin feeding position and in an inoperative position, and predetermined *count mechanism, the combination -of mechanism controlling the movement of said mountin comprising -a one revolution cam .means Jdriven by said .motor and operativelyconnected to said mounting and rendered operative on .the. starting of :the operation -of (said predetermined count mechanismfior moving said vmounting .to position said-feed wheel in coin .feeding position, means vfor-holding said mountingin its feed wheel coin vfeeding position, means acting automatically when a predetermined number of coins have beeniedpast said counting devicetoreleasesaid holding means, and means for moving said .mounting'to position saidwheel, in an inoperative position onthereleaseof said holding means.

5. Ina coincounting machine having accord;- ing device, a motor, a 'feed wheel continuously rotated by-said motor for feeding-coins past-said counting device to actuate the same, a movable mounting for :said feed wheel to permit :positi'onsaid'wheel ina coinxfeeding pnsitionzandiin arr-inoperative position, andypredetermined :count z -mechanismlhaving 'a starting 'controhthercombination of .a shiftable cam having an operative s 8 land .rinoperative mosition and driven rby: saidzmo .1201, means roperated Joy said cam tmmovemounting to feed wheel coin teeding ,position, means for shiitingasaid cam to an inoperative position relative to said last wnamed means after taasinglarevolution of :said cam,. meansior-shift- :ing .saidrcam :to: itsv operative position .includinga member operated by the. starting 'control iof. .the predetermined count mechanism.,-.means= for holding said mounting vin itsieed wheel coin .fieed- .ing position, means controlled Joy said ,i-predetermined icount ,mechanism ,ior ..re1easing :said holding means after :a ,;predetermined number :of coins have "been :ied past :saidrcountirg device, and (means :for moving vsaid mounting it o ;position said wheeLi-n an inoperative positionion theirelease ofrsaidiholdingemeans. f

- -.6. ,A coin-counting machineeas-defineddn claim .5 in which .the means. for shiftingthe cam -.toits operative position also includes a. spring operated wedge rendered, operative ,by the-initial movement :of the. -cam \by the aforementioned .imember operated .bvsaid startingcontrol.

7. Armin-counting, machine asldefined rim claim 5 in which thecamroperated means :formovirsg 'said mounting includes a lever .and- 1a :vieldahie plunger engaged -b-y :said :lever and in which the means t-for shifting the eam to-its operative p sition also includes 2aspring -.operated'-wedge which is released hy-saidilevenaiter aasinglearevolution :of thecam.

-8. In a-coincountingimachine having-aeount sing device, a motor, a .feed wheel continuously rotated-ibusaid-motor for ieeding-coinsipast the counting .device to actuate the same, fsaid feed wheel being movably mounted ifor-rmovementto an operative positionand inoperative i-posi- -.tion, and ,spredetermined "count mechanism, the combination :of means driven thy said :motor for .moving said ifeed wheel to its operativejpositinn, means :for .holding said afeed wheel Lin" t-its opera- .tive position, means -.controlled .by :said :Uredetermined count mechanism for releasing-said holding (means, KaHd'mEQHSYfTQY moving, saidfeed wheel to its inoperative position.

EARL QUIRK. ARNQLD EBTJCHHQLZ RfenencesuCited .in the-.filc .oI-this patent Quirk Mar. 30, I948 

